Vital Weekly, the webcast: we offering a weekly webcast,
freely to download. This can be regarded as the audio-supplement to
Vital Weekly. Presented as a radioprogramm with excerpts of just some
of the CDs (no vinyl or MP3) reviewed. It will remain on the site for a
limited period (most likely 2-4 weeks). Download thefileto your MP3 player and enjoy!
complete tracklist here: http://www.vitalweekly.net/podcast.html

STEVE PETERS & STEVE RODEN - NOT A LEAF REMAINS AS IT WAS (CD by 12K)
GARETH DICKSON - QUITE A WAY AWAY (CD by 12K)
12K is changing, and that's always a good thing. The shift goes from
electronica to acoustic instruments, and maybe there is a tendency,
however weak yet, towards pop music. These two new releases contain
something that we haven't heard a lot before on 12K CDs - voices. In
two different ways. First we have the highly respected, at least in my
book, Steve Peters and Steve Roden. In 1995 they did a tour with singer
Anna Homler, and then decided to do a record of voices themselves one
day. That day finally arrived in 2010 when they recorded at Jack Straw
in Seattle and it sees them avoiding electronics but only using
acoustic sounds and their own voices. I am not sure what to think of
it. Its especially the singing that I don't like. Chanting like, of
course poetically intended, buddhist like, with those temple bells… its
like being invited into a private gathering of monks at a temple in the
mountains. I am sure they mean well, and its made with the best
of intentions, but this is surely not my cup of tea at all.
If Peters and Roden sound remotely like 12K, Gareth Dickson doesn't at
all. I never heard of him before, but apparently he has recorded a
bunch of things of before and is part of Vashto Bunyan's touring band,
playing Carnegie Hall (which probably is the reason I never heard of
him either, painted in my own corner of the world). A man and his
guitar, taping his songs on whatever comes to hand, cassette,
dictaphone or four track. A man and a guitar who comes close to the
world of Nick Drake, both in the way he signs and plays his guitar,
perhaps even more spacious than Drake. Maybe it was recorded in a
tunnel, as apparently there is no electronics used in making this CD,
yet it seems there is a good use of reverb on the voice and the guitar.
Dickson is a singer-songwriter and that may come as a surprise for 12K,
a big surprise even. I am not the biggest lover of this kind of
singer-songwriter material, but I can hear this is all well-made, with
great care and style. 12K made a daring move and I wonder what comes
next. (FdW)
Address: http://www.12k.com

OLIVIA BLOCK & GREG KELLEY - RESOLUTION (CD by Erstwhile)
Its been quiet from the side of Olivia Block, well or so it seems. Its
always nice to hear a new work by her. Here she teams up with trumpet
player Greg Kelley, while Block takes credit for electronics and piano.
I am not entirely sure, but somehow I don't think this is a work from a
concert situation, but rather a studio based effort. I am not entirely
sure. This is music with a lot of tension, carefully build and quiet.
Electro-acoustic music meeting improvisation and modern classical
music. Sometimes it seems as if everything melts together, piano,
trumpet, electronics (field recordings perhaps) and make a blurry low
resolution picture, to stay in some sort of reference with the title,
like a camera being out of focus. But then the lens is being adjusted
and we hear clearly a trumpet, piano, electronics and field recordings
(which might very well be any sort of sound being derived from the
piano itself). After this unfolds, it can as easily fold together again
and reach again for that level of abstraction. Music that is somewhere
in between improvisation and composition. Music, also, that is quite
demanding to listen too. Its not very loud, although not exactly of the
inaudible kind also, but lots of things happen below the surface. This
is not something you can put on and leave it as such. This requires
your full and unabridged attention. Without that, it won't work. With
your concentration fully spend on this, it will slowly unfold its
beauty - very time you play this. (FdW)
Address: http://erstwhilerecords.com/

IKUE MORI & SIMON BALESTRAZZI & SYLVIE CORUVOISIER &
ALESSANDRO OLLA & MAJA S.K. RATKJE - TREASURE HUNT (CD by Ticon
Zero)
In October 2010 these five persons meet up at the Signal festival and
played together. The two days before their concert they played together
in a studio, resulting in these eight pieces of improvised music. We
have here Ikue Mori (electronics), Simon Balestrazzi (electronics,
prepared toy psaltery), Sylvie Courvoisier (piano, prepared piano),
Alessandro Olla (sound sculptures, electronics) and Maja S.K. Ratkje
(voice, toys, live electronics). This is quite interesting stuff. I
have no idea what kind of post-editing took place afterwards, but the
whole thing has a great vibrant character. A fine clash of acoustic and
electronic sounds, bouncing off and on together. While I have no idea,
I must also say that I am pretty much convinced that the whole thing
was captured with a bunch of microphones and mixed together later on.
Sounds pop up from now with great clarity (the piano, the voice) and
move as easily between pure acoustics - toys, piano - and electronics.
It has more fine balances: between loud and soft, sparse vs busy, many
and few dynamics. Throughout there is something to be found around here
and it makes a fine release throughout. A quintet of voices (real ones,
but obviously also their own instruments) which are all seasoned
players who come up with a great work, seemingly quite easily, but
perhaps not as easy as we think. Whatever might be the case, its a fine
work of great electro-acoustic improvisation. (FdW)
Address: http://www.ticonzero.org/

SABES - DIESEL CHARM (CD by Ant-Zen)
Artist Sabes re-news the sound of power noise scene; - a scene that is
one of the true triumphs of German label Ant-Zen Recordings. The power
noise style combines crushing noise textures with blasting beats and
has been practiced for almost two decades by Ant-Zen acts such as
Synapscape, Converter and Asche. Especially the two latter projects
crosses my mind as I listen to this blasting debut from Sabes. Behind
the project you find German artist Sebastian Mich who started DJ'ing at
an early age and then continued studying music. Sabes combines harsh
industrial-noise-expressions with blasting rhythm textures and
atmospheric drones singing somewhere underneath the landscape of sheer
darkness. Voice samples once in a while sneaks into the sound picture
in this otherwise inhuman and evil piece of nocturnal sound art.
Excellent album. (NM)
Address: http://www.ant-zen.com

KASPER T. TOEPLITZ - INOCULATE? (CD by Alamuse)
If you see a picture of mister Toeplitz, its usually behind a laptop.
That could lead to the assumption that he is a laptop musician. Which
he is, but it is not necessarily the whole range of his work. He also
plays bass, performs music from other composers (such as Eliane
Radigue) and composes his own music, such as the work on this new CD,
'Inoculate?', which is a work for a wind trio (trumpet, bass and
soprano saxophone, trombone), live electronics, data noise and dance.
The latter is of course not part of this release. Toeplitz is a
composer of minimalist works but also of heavy music. His music is not
some mil droning stuff, but au contraire works into the brain, like a
heavy block of noise falling down. The sheer minimalism of 'Noise Wall'
reminds us of Niblock, but then the live Niblock rather than the studio
Niblock. It is what it is: a wall of noise drones, which even reminded
me at one point of Zbigniew Karkowski. By comparison, the short
'Inoculer' is a soft piece of drones, and one that seems to have no
wind instruments, just electronics, which moves over into 'Irradier',
in which the electronics seem to play a major role still, but the wind
instruments return here. Before the 'Noise Wall', the CD is opened with
a piece called 'Brume', which is the perfect ascent down the spiral
staircase. Wind instruments and artificial wind sounds from the
computer mingle in an elegant manner, creating a vast spacious piece of
music. Here the noise is yet far away, and forms a great introduction
into the world of Toeplitz. An excellent work, this four part work
'Inoculate?' of modern classical music, using electronics and real
instruments. (FdW)
Address: http://www.alamuse.com

KOMET - AUDIO.NL (CD by Korm Plastics)
Dutch label Korm Plastics is an interesting electronic music/sound
art-label run by legendary sound artist Frans de Waard. The label was
grounded back in 1984 and since then Korm Plastics has kept releasing
interesting albums from contemporary sound artists. Present album is a
retrospective view back to the releases of German composer Komet alias
Frank Bretschneider and his contributions to Dutch label Audio.NL; a
label that ceased to exist in 2007. The album, carrying the label name
as its main title, includes all tracks released by Komet on Audio.NL.
Frank Bretschneider is a pioneer in the fields of abstract glitch and
his project Komet is one of his more well-known projects with releases
on among others Mille Plateaux, and Raster-Noton. "Audio.NL" is an
interesting album reminding me of, how excellent clicks'n'cuts can be
expressed. What we have here, is nine tracks of alluringly strange
hypnotic minimalism, built on psychedelic buzz and clicking pulses.
What is remarkable about the composition skills of Komet, is his
ability to make abstract music with so much listening appeal thanks to
catchy, almost clubbing friendly, rhythm textures. One of my true
favorite moments on the album, is the track titled "Ghost". A track
that in the first place seems random in its built texture, but as the
piece progresses the beats finds a simple structure, that cannot stop
the listener from physically following the beats until the very end.
Amazing piece on a truly excellent retrospective album. Thanks for
reminding me of, how such great project, Komet certainly is. (NM)
Address: http://www.kormplastics.nl

UNDIVIDED – MOVES BETWEEN CLOUDS (CD by Multikulti)
Undivided is a project of polish musician Waclaw Zimpel (clarinet, bass
clarinet). He is trained and educated in improvised and classical
music. He played with people like Ken Vandermark, Joe McPhee, Steve
Swell, and numerous polish musicians of course.
For his Unidived-porject he is joined by Klaus Kugel (drums), Perry
Robinson (clarinet), Bobby Few (piano)and Mark Tokar (bass). All three
lengthy pieces on this album are written by Zimpel. They were recorded
during a live performance in September 2009 in Warsaw. As a quartet –
without Perry Robinson – they recorded one earlier album ‘The Passion’,
one of the best-received albums of 2010.
By the way, Zimpel is also present on several earlier releases by Multikulti.
Unidived plays jazz, to be more precise a evidently Coltrane-inspired
kind of hypnotic post bop. Solo excursions are rare, most of the time
musicians are involved in group playing, producing complex harmonic
developments. Much room for improvisation but at the same time moving
along lines what were composed by Zimpel. Overall it is slowly
developing and floating music, but at the same time very intense an
solid. Music as a stream of consciousness. Music with an intricate
beauty that is not easily to be consumed. (DM)
Address: http://www.multikulti.com

XAVIER CHARLES & TERRIE EX - ADDIS (CD by Terp Records)
PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE & MESELE ASMAMAW & MATS GUSTAFSSON - BARO 101 (CD by Terp Records)
The Netherlands are, these days, warming up for a revival of Ultra -
even we might run a special on it next week. I wrote about this before
when discussing the Minny Pops CD/DVD and Plus Instruments CD.
Something which along the periphery I am involved in and so people ask
me lots of stuff about Ultra. The Dutch equivalent of post-punk/no New
York is usually my reply, ranging from doomy rock bands to duos with
synthesizers. But a name never mentioned in this is The Ex. Now when
Ultra was 'big' (1979-1981) The Ex was firmly rooted in real punk
music, with heavy political lyrics and scratching guitars. But now,
2012, we might easily say that they are one of the true surviving Ultra
bands. I'd like to think of Ultra as expanding your (musical) horizon.
Try out something new, not try to sound like anyone else and that's
exactly what The Ex have been doing since 1979. They played as a big
band, with unusual non musical instruments, with jazz musicians,
improvising musicians and since a couple they have some strong ties to
Ethiopia, where they have played a many times. These two CDs have
nothing to do with The Ex themselves but both where recorded over
there, in hotel rooms. The first is a duet of clarinet player Xavier
Charles, who is also a member of Silent Block, who toured along The Ex
in Ethiopia and The Ex's own guitar player Terrie Ex (the only original
member). In a hotel room they played seven pieces of highly improvised
music. Terrie Ex is a more 'traditional' improviser, where the guitar,
despite the dissonant character of his playing, is always recognizable
as a guitar, but unlike some other improvisers he avoids the strict
rules of rock. Charles on the other side plays a bit more traditionally
here too. Together they go from anywhere 'soft' and introspective to
wild and loud - the punk roots of improvised music. However everything
is well under control here. Excellent improvised music.
Also improvised is the release by Paal Nilssen-Love (drums), Mats
Gustafsson (baritone saxophone) and Mesele Asmamaw (krar), and also
recorded in a hotel room. This was part of a series of concerts in
which the saxophone played an important role. There is also a
difference. Both discs contain improvised music but whereas Charles/Ex
is harder to define, this one is no doubt to be called free jazz, which
is perhaps less my speciality (or my cup of tea). The two lengthy cuts
where captured on the spot and its a heavy free jazz affair, especially
Gustafsson blows away like its the last thing he's ever doing.
although, having said that, its not a work that is about constant going
over the top. There are also moments in which they hold back, search a
new phrase and explore from there again. Its quite a powerful
recording, direct and in your face, but for me just a bit too much free
jazz and not just free improvisation. But nevertheless quite good also.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.terprecords.nl

MOLJEBKA PVLSE - SADALACHBIA (CD by Isoramara)
MOLJEBKA PVLSE - SAMUDAYA (cassette by Isoramara)
These two releases mark something of a break for Moljebka Pvlse. So far
the solo project of Mathias Josefson, it is now expanded into a trio.
Josefson is responsible for 'field recordings and drones', while Lena
Bergendahl plays piano and harmonium and Karin Jacobson amplified
objects. That means an interesting expansion of the sound
possibilities. Looking at these two new releases it seems that the
thirty minute break is something of a focus point for them. Of the five
pieces here (three on CD, two on tape), four last around that time.
Backbone of all these pieces is the drones and the harmonium. I am not
sure if there are any additional sound effects used on the harmonium,
or on the field recordings for that matter, but they form a swirl of
long form sounds on which on top there are sparse sounds the amplified
objects and a bit of piano. Its not easy to detect that piano in here
in the first two pieces on the CD, unless its the kind of vibrating
string sort of playing. The objects seem most of the time quite dry and
clean, which is nice: it makes an odd balance with the drone stuff.
That can also be said of the third piece, 'Maneschijn' (actually a
Dutch title meaning 'moonlight'), which opens up with piano, more
clearly field recordings and drones pushed away to the back in the
beginning but then slowly opening up. This is easily the best piece on
the CD, I'd say. The others are good, but perhaps a bit too 'easy',
whereas 'Maneschijn' is a true beauty, if perhaps a bit long.
The cassette, in an edition of merely 38 copies, was released on the
occasion of their recent concert in Stockholm, their first in three
years. The black on black cover doesn't reveal much information,
nothing at all actually, so I am not sure if this is also recorded by
the trio of by Josefson alone. Somehow I think its the latter for the
simple fact that we don't hear piano's or amplified objects on here.
''On The Origin Of Suffering' on side A sounds like an old Maurzio
Bianchi track, but just a bit more melodic. Chilling synthesizer
melodies set against what seems to be a slowed down saxophone
sound. Long perhaps, but quite alright. The other side seems to be also
evolving around processed instruments, perhaps the saxophone again,
slowed down and captured in some electronic environment. Small melodies
do not occur here, but it makes nevertheless quite a fine impression
too. Both sides are great, reflecting, I think, more the old than the
new side of Moljebka Pvlse, but its great music anyway. Let's hope for
a CD/CDR re-issue of this one day, and get rid of the hiss. (FdW)
Address: http://www.isoramara.com

AUTECHRE & THE HAFLER TRIO - ∆3O&H3∆ (DVD by Die Stadt)
The two sound projects Autechre and Hafler Trio both has been known for
the pioneering experimental electronic music and for pushing the
borders of listening experiences for the last three decades. However,
as the two acts join forces on this beautifully packed double disc,
these borders are pushed further to the extremes. The work is presented
as a double DVD, featuring two lengthy tracks. The two pieces, carrying
the non-memorial titles ae\xB3o & h\xB3ae, balance in-between noise
and ambient, circulating somewhere in-between the two poles with
abstract sonic drones. Interesting album with two compositions created
for the adventurous listeners of extreme music. (NM)
Address: http://www.diestadtmusik.de

KEITH FULLERTON WHITMAN - GENERATORS (LP by Editions Mego)
Its been quite a while since I last heard solo music by Keith Fullerton
Whitman. Late 2009 he started to play 'Generators' in concert, 'from
flooded basements to festival stages', a few dozen times. The final two
performances are captured on this record. It uses digital and analogue
modular synthesis and Keith wrote about it: "Generator" was at attempt
to wrest a viable performance-based music out what had until then been
a solitary set of sound-design tools. The piece grew out of a
frustration with the limitlessness of computer-based real-time
synthesis & algorithmic / generative systems vs. their utter
failure as performance solutions. It hinges heavily on the ideology of
the "Playthroughs" system (in that the subtle tuning inconsistencies of
a physical instrument - the electric guitar - could be amplified &
multiplied) through the use of multiple layerings of different
topologies of oscillator, yielding an unstable array of modal canons
that drift in & out of "tune," causing all manner of inter-voice
beating & assorted psycho-acoustic effects." What it means to me, I
think, is that he has a set of modular sound generators which he can
freely play around with, deciding on the spot which direction he will
take. This flexible approach makes that no night is the same when he
performs his 'Generators'. The two pieces here quite different. 'Issue
Generator (For Eliane Radigue)' is a low droning affair in which tones
start to oscillate against eachother and create nice 'beatings' inside
the material. On the other side we find 'High Zero Generator' which is
a more heavy beast of pulsating tones, piercing and loud. In both of
these pieces we are dealing with a microphone recording, which adds a
nice subtle nastiness to the music. Great cosmic music on one side but
with strong edge and more noise based on the other, with a likewise
strong edge. Excellent music for those who like their cosmics being a
bit more different. Who wouldn't want that? (FdW)
Address: http://editionsmego.com/

KARL BOSMANN - LEVOTON (LP by Psych KG)
JAN VAN DEN DOBBELSTEEN - COSMIC VOLUME NR. 49 (7" by Cosmic Volume)
The original on one side and the remixes on the other side. Maybe
that's a way to do it. I am wary of all the remixes going on and
perhaps also in this case, I am not sure what purposes the remixes
actually serve. Karl BŲsmann plays zither, bows, voice, hammer,
ventillation, timpani, trumpet and trombone in the twenty minute title
piece. I usually quite like his work and this new piece is no
different. It seems to creating a hiatus with his older work in that it
all seems to be derived from acoustic sound sources, rather than
electronics. Its slowly building up, layer by layer and from a certain
point on a moire like effect takes place, of shifting sounds, moving in
and out of the mix. A fine complexity of dense sounds arrives and has a
weird, almost avant-folk like character. Think Idea Fire Company
meeting Sandoz Lab Technicians. Three remixes on the other side. The
first is by Jan van den Dobbelsteen, The Netherlands' more conceptual
composer. I have no idea what he did to the material, but 'radical
rework' surely applies here. A static beep, like an alarm clock,
repeated over and over. A great idea, but perhaps too long for the
radical nature of the piece. Or way too short. Ultra Milkmaids do also
a form of reduction but in a more musical way, bringing everything down
to just a few meandering organ like sounds. Easily too short. Hiroshi
Hasegawa, sometimes known as Astro, on the other hand does what he does
best, which is putting down a fine psychedelic mix of noise like
sounds. Maybe a bit compressed together (maybe the lack of proper
mastering), but it works quite well. Three entirely different remixes,
none of which resembles the original at all. Now that's what I call a
great remix project.
At the same time Jan van den Dobbelsteen also released a new 7", which
deals with the Museum Le Secret, which I believe is a portable museum,
a scale model of a museum, which can be presented in another gallery
space. Van den Dobbelsteen, also a visual artist, exhibited in that
small museum, and released this record. Like the museum has a scale of
1:200 and 1:87, the music is made from making a similar scale model, I
guess by slowing down sounds in a similar scale. Or maybe just silence
slowed down, as both pieces last 4 minutes and 33 seconds. The 1:200
version is barely audible and just seems to have some vague sound
happenings, the 1:87 model is a more electronic piece of microscopic
events being played around. Music wise that is the more musical side of
the two. Like much of Van den Dobbelsteen's work this is a highly
conceptual record; one that leaves more room for questions than it is
prepared to give answers. (FdW)
Address: http://www.mndr.de/shop/index.php
Address: http://www.iae.nl/users/jada

EXPO 70/ALTAIR TEMPLE (split LP by Radar Swarm Records)
SUNSHINE PARKER - CORROSIVE (CDR by Radar Swarm Records)
SLOW MOTION CATASTROPHE - THE RAINY NAP SONG (CDR by Radar Swarm Records)
On the for me unknown Radar Swarm Records three releases. I had a hard
time reading the track titles on the split LP. I don't understand fonts
like this. Its a split, so I learn from the label's website of Expo 70
and AltaÔr Temple. The first is Justin Wright, who plays guitar, analog
drum machine and moog and his piece 'Land Of The Midnight Sun' spans
the whole side. It sounds a bit like an ongoing jam, but it does sound
coherent. Slow drums, spacious guitar sounds, fine use of the moog. It
slowly evolves and expands into the darker realms of psychedelic music.
The other side has three pieces by AltaÔr Temple, a duo of Fred
(guitar, effects, synth) and Johan (analog synths, computer and
audiomulch). Three excellent pieces of drone music that is quite
synth/effect heavy, more than being based on the guitar sound. I was
remembered of some of the old Windy & Carl stuff here. Quite static
in approach, but with gentle melodies meandering just below the
surface. Quite dark, but never unsettling, this is some fine mood
music. Tow new names, for me, and both are quite good.
For the two CDR releases on Radar Swarm Records we don't get a lot of
information. Sunshine Parker seems to me an one person band, armed with
a guitar and a whole bunch of effects. According to the label's
website, Sunshine Parker plays 'trogotronics' style, whatever that
might be. Seven long pieces, clocking in over an hour, of what sounds
to me improvisations for guitar and electronics. When it starts out
loud, it will stay loud. When it starts out soft it ends loud, but it
never is the other way around. The best piece was 'Random Obsessions'
which seemed a bit more ambient, and 'To Have And To Hold' which also
had a bit of singing in there. Through I think these pieces could have
been a much shorter and to the point. Its not necessary to release
everything you have but carefully look over what you have is part of
the deal, I should think.
The final release on Radar Swarm is by Slow Motion Catastrophe. I know
because the other two have their band names mentioned. Nowadays music
is no longer sold in shops, so labels can get away with releasing
covers with no information. At all. One piece here, the title piece
obviously, of guitar and piano music. Slow music, or should that be
slow motion music? A violin bow plays the guitar for a while, and later
starts strumming a bit. At which point the guitar has also started to
strum his bit. Over the whole nineteen minutes there is a sort of post
rock feel about it. A simple yet effective piece of atmospheric music.
Not the most original, but in its kind quite alright. Next time also a
bit more time on the cover, please? (FdW)
Address: http://radar.swarm.free.fr/

SALIM GHAZI SAEEDI – HUMAN ENCOUNTER (CDR by Salim World)
Fromm the beginning it is evident that Iranian multi-talent Salim Ghazi
Saeedi has a love for progressive rock and avant rock produced by bands
like Univers Zero. No idea if progressive rock is of any importance in
countries like in Iran. In that case Saeedi may be an outspoken
exception. ‘Human Encounter’ is his second solo album. ‘Iconophoci’ his
first solo album dates from 2010. Earlier he released albums with
his band Arashk. The pieces on this new album are divided into two
sections: a dark side and a bright side. He reflects on encounters in
his personal life with fellow human beings. On the bright side he
dedicated his compositions to persons. On the dark side pieces carry
titles as ‘Lonesomeness’ and ‘City Bombardment’. A concept album so to
speak, on which Saeedi again proves himself to be a very capable
composer in Rock in Opposition vein. Everything is played by himself:
guitars, keyboards, samplers (drums), etc. Because of this the music
does not breath as it would when played by a band. It is the same
experience I had with his first solo album. Nonetheless I had a good
time with this album. Although 12 pieces are on this album, it works as
one giant composition in different parts. His pieces are thoroughly
composed and arranged. Saeedi understands his craft. Musically his work
fits perfectly in the tradition of Henry Cow, Univers Zero, 5uu’s
or X-Legged Sally. No doubt Saeedi has access to this kind of
music. I can’t say Saeedi opens a new chapter in this line. But
for sure does not simply repeat the past, but he is able to construct
some very tight and well-thought compositions in this line. His music
has potential and it is well-crafted. Can’t wait to hear more of this
guy. (DM)
Address: http://www.salimworld.com

ESPVALL/JAKOBSONS/SZELAG - IMPROVISATIONS FOR STRINGS AND ELECTRONICS (CDR by Arachnidis Recordings)
A trio of improvisers, all on string instruments. We have Agnes Szelag
and Marielle Jakobsons, who work as Myrmyr (with releases on Digitalis
Recordings and Under The Spire Recordings), who plays violin and cello,
teaming up with Helena Espvall on cello. She has played with Amnesiac
Music & Dance Ensemble and Eugene Chadbourne. I believe the
electronics used are courtesy of Myrmyr. Its not easy to recognize
these electronics, since it sounds pretty acoustic. Its not easy to say
something about this release, without the risk of copying things that
are all also in the press text. To make references to pieces by Arvo
Part of Henryk Gorecki is easy, but also to the point. But then less
composed and all improvised. Music that is dealing with long form,
sustaining but also bending of tones, making this both melodic yet also
abstract, gentle and majestic, moody and atmospheric. Somewhere in
between modern classical music and improvised music, this is an
excellent release. (FdW)
Address: http://arachnidiscs.wordpress.com

SILENCIO - WHEN I'M GONE (CDR by Three:four Records)
All the information here is in French, a language I only partly
mastered. Behind Silencio we find Julien Demoulin of whom we reviewed a
CD last week, recorded together with IA. Here he receives help from
Nicolas Lecocq, Bernold Delgoda and Lenina Epstein. Among them they
have guitar, field recordings, bass, synth, electronics, drums, cello,
violin and trumpet. Eight pieces of quiet music, ambient music
obviously from a bit of post rock perspective. This is mainly due to
the use of the guitar here and it provides sustaining, drone like
sounds. Quite pleasant and sad music. Not bad on a grey day. But if you
look at it more objectively, its also music that we heard a lot before.
Its hardly the most original thing in the world. Music that sits well
in the house of Kranky or Thrill Jockey. Its produced quite well, but
lacks very much its own voice. That is the downside for anyone who
wants to discover something new. I am sure many people will like this a
lot. (FdW)
Address: http://www.three-four.net

WYNDEL HUNT - OBLIVION (CDR by Simulacra Records)
Its always nice to see your quote used in a review - a reminder that I
already reviewed this person before and apparently I was delighted. "a
highly pleasant work" I wrote in Vital Weekly 715 about Wyndel Hunt's
'Sunshine Noir'. Its been quiet after that I think, but here is a new
release with four new pieces, all, quite curiously, around ten minutes.
He has expanded his set up from guitar and computer to bass guitar ,
harmonica and field recordings from the Pacific North-west. No computer
is mentioned as such, so perhaps its not there, or it plays less of a
role here. I think the latter. Unlike his previous which was all drone
based and quite heavy as that ("'louder', more 'present' than many of
his peers" I wrote), things seems to have smoothened out here a bit. No
longer the shoegaze laptop guy, the dense layers of sounds, but with a
bigger role for the sounds as they are. Maybe, so I was thinking, is
some of this stuff even recorded in some sort of live situation -
perhaps 'live in studio'. It certainly sounds so. In the title piece we
hear obscure field recordings and bass guitar treatments with perhaps a
few keys down on the harmonica. In 'Elision Field' it all seems to
revolve around hiss like sounds, and has a static form of composition.
In 'Pragmatism' there seems to be a return to the drone days, but less
shoegazing, although mildly distorted. The final piece, 'Everything
That Rises Does Not Converge', is in return a more quiet piece and has
a more collage like form, including a long section of near silence.
That makes the whole thing quite a varied affair, with four quite
different pieces of music, made with relatively simple means. Quite an
effort in doing so and a proof of fine craftsmanship as such. (FdW)
Address: http://www.simulacrarecords.com

CLADE - IF BRIGHTNESS OUTSHINE HEAVENS SO PREPARED (CDR by Clade_Rec)
"Chemical accompaniment encouraged but by no means required", it says
on the press release. Thank god, not required, as I am afraid no work
would get then smoking big joints while trying to review music. But
hearing Clade I can see why they would encourage that. Their music can
surely be enjoyed well when one is chemically induced. Music that can
be used, they say, for 'private rituals, astral inquiry and small
hours', which I am afraid is also not exactly my favorite enjoyments.
Clade is a collective from Oakland and they use guitars and
electronics, recording their music in one take without any overdubs.
The recordings on this release where already made in 2009 - I am not
sure why it took so long to release them. Guitars and electronics
usually equals drone/ambient music, and that goes for Clade too. They
reference Troum, Nadja, Lull and Earth, which seem to be quite valid
references. The music Clade produces certainly fits that heavy type of
drone music, which is even a bit noisy at times. The raw and untamed
side of drone music, rather than the refined side. The wall of sound
approach. Nine long pieces (well, eight, one is under one minute) and
in 'Penal Song' things get a calmer, but then we are already well under
way. Maybe there could have a been a bit more variation in this I
thought, but maybe I am merely listening from the perspective of a
reviewer, rather than thinking sky high on chemicals about a private
ritual. That aside, I think this is quite a nice release of heavy
weight drone music. Fans of the aforementioned bands will be pleased
with these new kids on the drone block. (FdW)
Address: http://www.cladistic.org

GLENN BACH - RADIA (CDR by Dust, Unsettled)
Although the name sounded familiar, I may not have heard of Glenn Bach
before. He leads the improvising ensemble Double Blind ('a vehicle for
collaborative soundscapes) and Intense Situations Of Peril (all
electronics ensemble) and has worked with John Kannenberg on 'Two
Cities', 'an audio-visual meditation on ambulatory experiences of
place'. Besides that he has a net-label MPRNTBL, about field
recordings, lowercase, analog noise and collaborative soundscapes. This
solo release uses guitar feedback and field recordings captured in
various state parks in California and Wisconsin. This is quiet music,
sometimes almost below the threshold of hearing, but it sounds great.
Lowercase is a term we don't hear that much anymore, but it certainly
applies to this music. Whatever field recordings he has captured (at
some instances I recognized the sound of water and birds), or whatever
processes he applied to them, they sound like blurry static pieces of
hiss like sounds, in which he places his sparse guitar sounds. There is
a lot of space in the music - not in a cosmic sense of the word, but in
the sparseness of the sounds used to create this music. This is not the
kind of music you put on for 'fun', or as 'background'. This music
requires active listening and without such concentrated effort it
rather fails to impress the listener. It might be over before you know
something had started. That is, I think, a great quality. (FdW)
Address: http://dust-unsettled.com/

JIN SANGTAE - SACRIFICE 2 (3"CDR by Ghost And Son)
MIGUEL A. GARCIA - RED RIVER/RIO TINTO (3"CDR by Ghost And Son)
NOISH & XEDH - RLHAAA TO (cassette by Pilgrim Talk)
Three new releases by Pilgrim Talk, two of them in the series Ghost and
Son. The first is by Jin Sangtae from Seoul, whose work we heard before
on the excellent Balloon And Needle label. His main interest in music
lies in ;reconstructing and rethinking 'non-instrumental' materials'.
He usually plays hard drives, but also laptop, radios and car horns,
such as on 'Sacrifice 2'. It starts out with a very low end rumble and
only after four minutes we recognize the car horn. The first ten
minutes of this work are reserved for such low end sounds, in which the
car horn sometimes sounds like a wind instrument, but sometimes moves
into vague rumble. At the ten minute break suddenly high pitched
feedback like sounds come in and while this doesn't last long, they
will return later on in the piece, until it reaches minute eighteen and
it stays there for a solid one minute and thirty seconds of highly
annoying tones. After that is mainly silent again, but it returns once
more. A piece of improvised music with a highly original sound source
and worked out quite well.
Miguel A. Garcia was once best known as Xedh, dealing with all sorts of
electronic music, but under his own name he works with more interesting
aspects of microsound and noise. He is also a member of Mubles (not a
particular favorite of mine) and Cooloola Monster. Various musicians of
these group deliver sound material for this release. Nine pieces in
total here, which I think should be regarded as sound recycling of his
other work. Taking bits and pieces of his 'other' work, collating them
into new pieces of music, reminding me of P16.D4's 'Distruct' work or
similar works from the Selektion label. Its a form of musique concrete
that is hardly used these days: a bit noisy, with some clear cuts from
instruments (drums, guitars, voices), cut and paste together into a new
configuration. Now this is all much more noise based than one would
expect from Garcia these days, but the collage like variation of noise
is a rarity and since Garcia does a great job I am all for such an
intelligent outing of noise. A consistent release.
Garcia is also responsible for the release with Noish, also known as
Oscar Martin. He is an 'experimental programmer and musician', working
with the 'deconstruction of field recordings and the creative use of
technology errors'. Their 'Rlhaaa To' is their second release together.
I assume this is a work of improvisation using a variety of sound
objects and computers. I am not sure however. But its not the greatest
of works I have come across recently. The music goes on and on, stays
on a mild level, but doesn't seem to have any real action. It doesn't
work towards something, doesn't move around, but stays on the same
level, allowing new, yet similar sounds to enter and to leave.
Improvised noise sound scape - let's stick with that notion. Garcia can
do much better. (FdW)
Address: http://www.ghostandson.com
Address: http://www.pilgrimtalk.com